Staying in emergency housing or transitional housing for the time being

Emergency housing and transitional housing provide short-term, temporary accommodation while the client and their immediate family have an immediate housing need because they are unable to access suitable and sustainable housing.

Note for clients in emergency housing, immediate family means the client, their partner, and their dependent children (if any).

Emergency housing and transitional housing are for people who have an immediate need for accommodation because they:

• have no usual place of residence or
• are unable to remain in their usual place of residence (e.g. because of safety concerns)

and

• have no other accommodation that is adequate for their needs

Emergency housing and transitional housing provide a stable place for the individual or family to stay while their needs can be understood and addressed, and a longer-term accommodation solution can be found. The longer-term accommodation solution may include alternative housing (e.g. renting, flatting or boarding in private market), or social housing.

Types of short-term accommodation include:

• emergency housing paid for by an Emergency Housing Grant
• transitional housing funded by Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, which is short-term housing where clients have support services provided
• contracted emergency housing
• refuges such as those provided by Women's Refuge, Home and Family Society, Emergency Housing Trusts, Iwi and cultural organisations, or church organisations

Clients may have found their own temporary accommodation somewhere that is not intended for living in long term (e.g. cabin in a motor camp). MSD considers these clients to 'not be living in any accommodation'.